Instructor of Record

Updated October 2023 to include new instructor roles of Course Coordinator and Observer.

Purpose:
The objective of this document is to provide definitions for the Instructor of Record categories of primary instructor, secondary instructor, graduate teaching assistant, learning assistant, supplemental instructor leader, grader, faculty peer reviewer, and course administrator to ensure an accurate record of the teaching assignments of faculty delivering instruction. This policy includes the teaching assignments of graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) and other appointments (compensated and non-compensated) as are overseen by the department chair. This information is critical to ensure data integrity in reporting teaching loads to UM System, within MyVita, and academic program reviews and assessments.
1. All categories of instructors and staff listed below will feed into the learning management system (Canvas) from MyView, unless otherwise noted.
2. All Instructor of Record roles require:
  1. An active Human Resource Appointment or Courtesy
    Appointment.
  2. A completed and passing FERPA Exam (including the Observer and Course Coordinator roles, which previously did not require FERPA)
Instructor of Record Categories
1. Primary Instructor
  1. A Primary Instructor is someone actively engaged individually or as part of a team in the delivery of course content and assessment of student learning.
  2. A Primary Instructor is a person qualified to teach the course and who has overall responsibility for:
    1. developing and implementing the course syllabus,
    2. meeting with the class as scheduled,
    3. verifying attendance via the appropriate university determined system,
    4. the achievement of student learning outcomes included as part of the Syllabus,
    5. assigning the grades for students registered in the class, and
    6. evaluating and resolving grade disputes and making grade changes when appropriate.
  3. Each Primary Instructor will be assigned an appropriate percentage of responsibility in MyView/Cognos. More than one primary instructor can be assigned to a course.
2. Secondary Instructor
  1. A Secondary Instructor is a content instructor who assists the Primary Instructor in delivery of lectures, supervision of laboratories, grading or other appropriate activities. This would normally include UMSL faculty (all five categories*) and other appointments as defined. Each Secondary Instructor will be assigned an appropriate percentage of responsibility in MyView/Cognos. A graduate student can serve as a secondary instructor in baccalaureate classes.
3. Graduate Teaching Assistant
  1. Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) often help professors with teaching big groups of students. GTAs perform a variety of tasks, including grading papers and tests --usually according to guidelines or a rubric established by the Primary Instructor-- and holding office hours to answer students’ questions. GTAs in this role are often given access to the learning management systems to assist with course content, discussion boards and grading. While the Primary Instructor leads the course as a whole, GTAs can serve as intermediaries between the professor and the class' many students. GTAs are not factored into the course workload with a percent effort.
4. Administrative
  1. Faculty or staff listed with an Administrative role are assigned to the class roster to help in facilitating grade changes or grade entry when the instructor of record, who is responsible for the grading of the course, is unable to perform these duties. Administrators are not factored into the course workload with a percent effort.
5. Course Coordinator
  1. Faculty or staff listed with a Course Coordinator role have access to full course capabilities, including hidden content, but cannot see student information, (grades, student enrollments, etc.). Course Coordinators are not factored into the course workload with a percent effort.
6. Faculty Peer Reviewer
  1. For peer review, faculty assigned this role will assist in teaching effectiveness by assessing analytics regarding student engagement. This role will provide the ability for Faculty Peers to review both the quality and quantity of feedback provided by the instructor to students when grading assignments. The Faculty Peer Reviewer will also contribute to teaching effectiveness by being able to see (but not edit) course content, both hidden and published. This role will also not be able to communicate with the students. Faculty Peer Reviewers are not factored into the course workload with a percent effort. For quality course review, faculty assigned this role will assist in teaching effectiveness to review design of the course, ensuring the course meets the 5 pillars of quality course design:
    1. Initial student experiences,
    2. Interaction and engagement,
    3. Learning objectives and assessment,
    4. Technology, student support, and accessibility, and
    5. Course design
7. Grader
  1. Graders have LIMITED access and are only able to change grades in the Gradebook within Canvas. They are NOT able to add/modify content in Canvas, and do NOT have any access to grading within MyView. Graders are not factored into the course workload with a percent effort.
8. Learning Assistant
  1. Learning Assistants (LA) are undergraduate students who meet with faculty members for weekly preparation sessions to promote active learning in their courses. These preparation sessions provide valuable feedback for faculty, allowing the LA and the instructor to bounce ideas back and forth as they prepare for the next week. LAs also attend workshops to learn about teaching, facilitation techniques, and active learning strategies. The workshops teach Learning Assistants about "best practices" in education, including but not limited to:
    1. helping students become active and engaged in the course,
    2. listening and questioning,
    3. building relationships with students and faculty, and
    4. integrating theory with practice.
  2. Learning Assistants are not factored into the course workload with a percent effort.
9. Observer
  1. Guest lecturers, undergraduate assistants, and others who may need access to information in the student management system but do not need access to student information. Observers are not factored into the course workload with a percent effort.
10. Supplemental Instructor Leader
  1. Supplemental Instructor (SI) Leaders are undergraduate students who have taken the course before and have done well. Each SI Leader works with a specific course to attend lectures, participate in class activities, and serve as model students for their peers. SI Leaders also hold regular study sessions outside of class to help students develop study skills and master the course content. Attendance in SI sessions is voluntary, but encouraged. SI Leaders are not factored into the course workload with a percent effort.
Instructor of Record Qualifications
1. All Instructors of Record must be qualified for delivery of instruction in accordance with UMSL Faculty Bylaws (UM System CRR 300.040) and Higher Learning Commission’s Assumed Practice B.2.
2. It is the responsibility of the academic unit or department to confirm and assign accurate teaching load percentages.
3. All Instructors of Record must have completed and passed FERPA since they have access to student enrollment and grade information, either in Canvas or in a third-party tool such as Panopto, VoiceThread, or publisher software.

*Faculty Categories:

(1) Full-time, ranked, non-regular faculty (non-tenure track (NTT) faculty); (2) full-time,
unranked, non-regular faculty; and (3) part-time, non-regular faculty (adjunct faculty) [1]